If you are also looking for a review of the locking mechanism or how to adjust the wing stop position you can find more info on my other RU-vid video on my channel here : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-obY_R7XhcvE.html Thanks for watching !
Hey Steve, isn’t that just the wonder of RU-vid that a guy in Scotland who is suffering the same problem and find a solution from a guy in Texas. Nice work great videos well presented. Thanks for all your efforts. Alistair law.
Thanks man ! Yep, seems amazing that the world is so well connected with technology that almost anything can be found with just a little searching 👍. I’ve met soooo many people all around the world from the videos and comments back and forth to try to determine the problem with the soft top not functioning...truly amazing. It’s nice to know the videos on my little channel help folks all around the world as well...what started out as me just videoing when I had to repair my cars turned into a really fun hobby, lol ! All the best from the U.S.A !!! Steve.
The worst thing about that sensor failure is the fact that you can't roll your windows down when the convertible top thinks it's engaged. I gotta get out of my car to touch my gate card to the sensor to get out of my parking lot. When I first had this issue, I pressed the convertible button because it was flashing and it put my windows down and wouldn't roll them back up because of the position the sensor thought it was really in. I had to ride around windows down in the cold that day before I fixed it. Thanks for making this it helped a bunch!
Fabio Suave 狼 , Thanks ! Glad to here it helped 👍. Yep, when it faulted it would drive me nuts that the windows wouldn’t work...and the trunk doesn’t open either so you have to use the key to open it too.
I just wanted to add a couple of things since your videos are excellent and gotten me through a whole bunch of stuff I want everybody to understand that the left and right side of the gears for the front top need to be equal. That means you may need to disconnect one open it all the way reconnect it disconnect the other one open it all the way and make sure that they’re both in the outermost position. If they’re not in sequence that late then they won’t work.
Thanks 👍. Yep, I did show this in the other video on the channel where I replaced the latching motor, but it’s good to note this important point in this video as well for folks reading through the comments. All the best ! Steve
A couple of thoughts. Great vireo and it worked for me (Fonzie) the first wrap with the old fists. Light goes off, top goes down! After the roof was down I smiled to myself and thought Job well done. Because the simplicity of the job I did the following. 1. Got out my phone and called my wife to tell her after a lot of hard work the top was working fine. She asked me how she could thank me...oh my .. My first request was for reimbursement for my time and efforts. Next some type of reimbursement for money saved by not going to the dealer. Ended with her bringing me a cold beer ..with the top down.
Lol ! Yes, that’s the way it goes at my house as well (the convertible in the video is my wife’s ). She was pretty happy when I got the top working again on hers, but I really gained when I did the oil cooler oring replacement that is sandwiched between the block and the motor mount on the left side. It was going to cost so much at a shop that was able to buy a 2 Post car lift for the garage and still have money left in the wallet, lol. Glad the video helped some and all the best ! Steve
Hey,Steve thank you for your very helpful videos on the BMW 650i ,I own one,I woke up this morning I went to lock my convertible top and it did not like then it locked. I came home from work same issue it did not want to fully open I saw your video when you bumped,tapped the convertible top on the left side and now it’s working fine I believe I hit the sensa in the right spot thank you very much your videos are very helpful and I subscribed .
Man you saved my summer I love you man !!! I have a 2005 645ci that light came on telling me my Convertible top was automatically locked I was so sad thanks to you my top working fine I’m so thankful for you , have a bless one my brother
Basketball junky Game , thanks ! Glad the video help you out. Always bums out the day when the car faults out and bongs at you the whole time you are driving. Have a blessed day as well 👍
Thank You sir, today I solved the issue with mine, thanks to You. I was not able to lower the soft top, also the rear window stopped working. Luckily I was able to reach the sensor from inside and wiggle it.. not sure what was the problem, the sensor itself or the wiring. Who cares, it works now. If it stops again I will know what the problem is. Wish You all the best.
Thanks man ! Glad the videos helped some 👍. The soft top is kinda grumpy about that segment sensor...it causes more problems than any other part of the complicated top mechanism it seems. Thanks for taking the time to comment and all the best ! Steve
Thanks man ! Eventually (after a couple more years after adjusting the sensor) I did end up just replacing it as it finally went totally bad. Yes indeed…no DIY is ever worth risking safety for in my opinion. Not only the risk part, but just one trip to the emergency room would easily pay for the most expensive mechanic you could find to repair most DIY type repairs. Thanks again and all the best ! Steve
The other issue you might run into is the gas struts it won’t completely sync. The way to fix this is the gas struts on the left and right side must also be in sync. These are very first segments of the top to the middle of the top. You may have to adjust those if it doesn’t close completely or open correctly.
I have had the same issue with the exact same car. After 1 hour or so I could close it, The issue was an electric issue with my car, causing constantly this issue. Moreover when rain you can't close the F** windows! Drove me nuts but bought a brand new battery and that solved the entire issue.
Hi Steve, my 2007 M6 recently started giving me this error message, it usually just resolved itself after turning the vehicle on and off a few times, but last week the message came on and didn’t turn off. I tried locking the roof manually but the message was still showing. I was about to call the dealership when I came across this video. A few well placed taps and now the roof is working perfectly again. Thank you for your assistance.
Thanks ! Great to hear the video was helpful 👍. Yes, I think the segment sensor issue is the most common one for these soft tops. If yours is like most of them (mine included), the segment sensor will eventually fail to read the correct segment and will need to be replaced. Fortunately is it not very difficult to do and only takes a few tools. Thanks again and all the best ! Steve
Hey, thanks a lot. Really good Video. Had the same issue with my E64 650i 2007. I think they already installed an new Version of the Sensor Cover on my BMW (It already had slots to adjust the screws). Just needed to loosen the screws and ajust the cover and tighten them. Problem Solved.
Thanks man ! Yep, I think BMW realized the flaw and modified some of them so they could be adjusted. Good to know that it solved the issue on yours by just adjusting it👍. All the best ! Steve
Hi Steve , John here from Ireland and want to say your videos are savage , my 645ci roof won’t budge just the windows go half way and the back window stays down which I have to wind up manually ... going to try and get the software before I wreck your head 😀 . But great job incase I get it sorted myself ... you are a legend !!
John kelleher , thanks man...I really appreciate the compliment 👍. Yep, having the software will for sure help sort out what’s causing the issue. There’s a video on the channel that shows each status of the sensors at the top makes its cycle...maybe it will help show the sensor states (on or off) to compare to yours once you get the software (you can slow down the Video in RU-vid...just in case you hadn’t used that feature before). I’ll bet you’ll get it figured out 👍. All the best from Nashville Tennessee, USA !!!
Steve can you tell me the kit( software and lead ) to find the roof sensors like yours ? Seems to be so many out there Any tips also on where I should start looking with problem above ? Any help much appreciated as I can’t get anyone in this country to do it apart from bmw which I can’t afford .
John kelleher , hey again, I got my cable and original software from bcables.com years ago (I just checked and it looks like they are still selling them). The cable for our cars (e-series) is the Silver cable, and it also works on several older models as well since it has the k or DCAN switch built onto the OBDII connector. I think they send you CD’s of the INPA software ( what I show on most of my videos as it’s easier than the ISTA software and can do most functions ). Once you get good at talking to the car, ISTA does quite a bit more for diagnostics, but it’s a bit more complicated and can accidentally reset things someone might not want to reset, lol. INPA is pretty safe to use, but the software was never fully translated to English so parts of it are still in German (google translate has been my friend over the years). My PC with the CD drive died several years ago so I downloaded the software again from Bimmergeeks.com, but it’s the same software as bcables.com’s software, but doesn’t have the one click installer like bcables.com did. I also don’t trust free software much so I bought a cheap laptop and dedicated it to my car software just in case there were bugs in it, but I’ve never had anything strange happen to the PC’s so maybe I was just overly cautious. For your issue, If the cars four side windows will go half way down when you hit the retract top button, but then the back window will not go down or the back window goes down, but nothing else happens, at least this says that the top’s computer module wants to initiate the cycle so that’s good. If the button does not immediately start flashing red, then the car is probably just waiting for the sensors to be correct to move onto the next step in the sequence...or it could be that it is trying to do the next step, but a fuse may be blown or a motor bad so it cannot complete the next step. Just one hall sensor not reading the correct position or the segments sensors being off by one segment can make the top stop the sequence since it’s trying to protect itself from damage if something is out of position. You should be able to tell a lot more of what is halting the sequence once you get the software and cable for sure. Hope this helps and let me know how it goes 👍, Steve
Steve’s DIYs omg thanks for the effort and interest ... I have had no working roof for the last 3 years and occasionally put it down manually but that’s a pain . You are an absolute gent and there will be a pint sitting somewhere for you when I get it sorted .
Steve still waiting for software and cable but you might be able to point me in right direction ... yesterday I just tried to put the top and windows went half way as usual and that was it but I did notice each time I presses the down button there was a click/slight clunk from the white box I front of rear window . Just thought you might have came across something like this ?
Hi Steve. I'm not sure if you will see this. Thanks for the video. I put a new sensor on but it is at position 0 not 6 where the old one left off, using the above method. So the top will not close. Any ideas?
Hey man ! I actually got one when I changed one out on a guys car that he brought to me for help and it too was reading the Incorrect segment position when I installed it. I bought it off PartsGeek as their price was a bit better, but seems it was calibrated incorrectly (or maybe someone rotated the arm around as they were packaging it and messed it up). I sent it back and got another one and that one worked correctly. It may be that you got a defective one as well if the segment being read is way off to the segment needed to make the top work. If you put the old one back on and it’s reading the correct segment and then allows the soft top to function, then I’d definitely say something is wrong with the replacement sensor.
I had the problem as well Then i read about ‚touching‘ the sensor and correcting its position I did it and the problem went away (and got back again) but i know how to fix it fast Now it makes more noise while closing and is a bit rought at the last part where the front closes I hope its not problematic!
Hey ! Yep they do start getting more noise as things wear or the mechanism gets dry. I put a little non hardening grease on the metal parts that pivot every other year which seems to help some. All the best ! Steve
Hi I have a BMW 120i convertable I removed the hood cover that covers the fron two locks. I can open the star screw to release so it can open manually. I relock the star fixing I press the open button the lock releases electrically I know this cause I can lift the hood manually .in my boot it has left right pulls to manually open I presume the motor drives.how do these reset do I do it manually or do they adjust them selves
Hey man ! Yep, if the 120i is like the 650i, once you pull the handles in the boot to move the top manually, if there is an error with one of the many soft top sensors reading correctly, it will not go back into automatic mode. Here’s a video on how to reset the rear compartment latches that should let it go back into automatic mode so the side windows will work again. It won’t fix the problem if there is an issue with one of the sensors, but it will get the windows working again until you can determine the problem. Hope this helps and all the best ! Steve ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3Qucuw9_DKw.html
Hello, I believe that INPA (the program on the laptop) does work for the Fxx Series as well, but since BMW changed the car’s control logic, I don’t think it uses the same cable or format. The Exx series communicates using the k+Dcan logic where as the Fxx Series uses their newer operating system called ENET. I’ve seen some posts out on the web where folks discuss how to configure INPA (or ISTA) with an ENET cable, but I’ve not done it since I don’t have an F series car (yet, lol). Hope this helps some and all the best ! Steve
jan Rodgerson , yep...it’s shown in the part 1 of the two videos. It doesn’t do anything to adjust which segment is picking up except for the end position though so if the segments are off during the movement the sensor would have to be repositioned.
I know this has been posted a while ago but I was wondering what diagnostic software you are using. Is it a standard Windows laptop with an OBD-II USB connection? Thank you!
Hey man ! The laptop is a standard windows based PC, but the interface cable is a special one for the BMWs. The software is called INPA and is a free download at this point since our cars are getting older now. You can get the cable (it’s referred to as the “Silver” cable as there is a blue one as well that works for the older BMWs) as well as the down load for the software from places like Bcables.com or Bimmergeeks.com. Since I don’t really trust any free software downloaded off the web, the laptop in the videos is dedicated to running just automotive communication software and I don’t do anything else with it. It’s just a cheap Ram drive type windows PC…adds a bit to the cost of being able to communicate with the cars, but worth it to me just for peace of mind, lol. Hope this helps some and all the best ! Steve
Hi Steve, a very helpfull video, thank you. your computer looks like a standard HP laptop, how did you connect it to the cars computer and what program did you use ?, thanks again.
Hey man ! Thanks…glad the video helped some 👍. Yes, it is a low cost HP laptop with windows10 that I bought and dedicated it to the software (i gave it an SD card as it didn’t have much memory). The software is a free download of INPA that comes with some other software to talk to the BMWs. It’s out on websites like Bimmergeeks.com (thus why the laptop is dedicated to this software as I don’t trust free downloads, lol). The OBDii cable is special to the BMWs, but can be purchased from eBay, Amazon, or the websites that have the free INPA download. The cable our car model uses is the one referred to as the “silver” cable (not the blue one), as is has a little switch to do either K or D-Can communications mode. It’s cable has a clear wire jacket and you can see the silver braided shielding inside the cable…thus they call it the silver one. The software wasn’t fully translated from German to English, but it connects up fine. Some folks have had difficulties getting it to talk to the car, but the software typically comes with some directions on how to load it and what steps to take to get the USB port settings correct for it. Hope this helps and all the best ! Steve
Hey Steve. Big thanks from Germany! Can you tell me if it still works after you did the fix? It does the sensor position makes me trouble again? Greetz, Ben
Hey man! Yes, unfortunately even after adjusting the segment sensor, eventually they will stop working correctly again it seems. I have had to replace mine once since making the video, but now it is working good again with only the occasional notification that the top is not locked (usually due to getting the soft top wet and then it shrinks when it dries out causing the sensor to be temporarily out of position). It is an annoying part of owning one of these really nice convertibles it seems. Thanks and all the best from Nashville Tennessee, USA ! Steve
@@jamos33 hey again, after the sensor adjustment, it worked for about one year more, then started faulting again and I had to thump it on its triangular wing again to get it to work. I then changed to sensor out completely and it is working again. Currently when it does give an error (it’s not very often now), I just thump the triangular wing or cycle the convertible top through the motion and it removes the error. I would say that eventually I will have to replace the new sensor or do the adjustment for it if the errors become more frequent again.
@@StevesDIYs Did you have any issues with the new sensor position? When I put the new sensor on - using the method in this video, the sensor is at position 1 not 6 - so the top won't close. If I put the old sensor back on, it is at position 6. Any ideas?
Thank you so much for this video. My 630 has the same issue. Sometimes I will just be driving along and it will chime and say soft top not locked. A very light tap on the inside of the passenger rear quarter roof part and it gets it working again. So I'm thinking it maybe the same sensor you had problems with. Will take a look tomorrow. Have you had any problems with it since? Thanks again.
Lord Brit , hello...Thanks! Yes, it stopped doing the chime and showing the top not locked after modifying the sensor until just about a month ago when the sensor actually failed (it had a small area on the sensor sweep that stopped sending a signal). I made another video on the channel called “BMW Hall effect sensor status and what happens when the segment sensor fails” when it recently failed. When the sensor finally failed recently, I was able to set the position easily since I had modified the plastic sensor mount from this video (the holes are modified in the sensor mount, not the actual sensor) and it’s back to working flawlessly again. Let me know how it goes 👍
@@StevesDIYs I’d love to talk to you. I just got my top to close. I basically banged around on it and pulled on some cables and it just closed. It’s been acting up, but I’ve always got it to close after a few mins. It’s been in my garage for 5 days and I saw your video this afternoon. So I messed with it again and it closed. I also apparent have a coolant leak, which I hear is common. I love the car, but I just hate getting ripped off at the dealership every time something pops up.
@@drjimmylee16 , no problem 👍...yep, sometimes it just something easy like replacing the segment sensor (especially if thumping on the wings will make it complete the cycle or stop gonging that it’s not locked. If you use Facebook, you can massage me from my Steve’s DIYs page: facebook.com/stevesdiys/ or you can email me at Stevesdiys@gmail.com.
Glad the video was helpful ! For the restraint system fault, it would be difficult to know for sure without having the software and cable to look at the codes, but there was a recall on the passenger seat occupancy sensor that trips a malfunction code that may still be covered under the safety recall. You may be able to call a dealer, give them your VIN and the exact error message and they can tell you if it is the recall issue. The only other thing I have seen is a error due to accidentally leaving a glass cup under the seat and it getting crushed by the seat mechanism when it was moved that broke a connector.
daniel adams , yep thumping it works for a while...eventually mine stopped responding to getting thumped (and even to the adjustment as a segment went bad in the sensor), so I replaced it. Been good as new since replacing it 🤞
Hi Steve, I have a 2012 650i xdrive convertible. Engine was replaced and so was the battery. The front windows didn’t work and the top wouldn’t go down. I got a used FRM3 from eBay and the windows would go up/down incrementally a half inch each time but lighting were messed up since it wasn’t programmed to my car. I let the car sit with the eBay FRM for a couple weeks. Cleaned out the garage to store the car and the windows worked normally so did the top. Even with the remote. Next morning I went and tried it and it went back to going up half inch increments and top wouldn’t work. I’m confused, why it worked and now it’s not again. Can the used FRM be programmed or do I need to get one from the dealer?
Hey man ! Yes, a used FRM can be coded to the car, but takes some programming using Winkfp and then Ncsexpert from what I’ve read. The process is very similar for most BMW series. Here’s a link to a write up for the E90 FRM module coding that explains some of it: www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1184199 . The dealer or a shop that specializes in European cars can typically recode it as well, but I’d check the prices as sometimes they charge quite a bit or they say they can’t guarantee that it won’t mess other things up. Hope this helps and all the best ! Steve
Hello steve just wanna say thank you for the info on the E64 convertible top its been priceless in helping me solve issues.....right now my top won’t completely close it closed but the the two hooks or clamps (not sure what they’re called) or not locking the motor where allen key goes just make a loud noise kinda like the motor is stripped or something & the hole where allan key goes spins fast.....i cant get it to go up or down now even manually with allen key & had to manually roll up back window.....im trying to purchase inpa cable and software but having hard time finding a reliable program to intall ive read all the comments and see u suggested bcable but reviews on every review site are horrible & amazon reviews on the cd have been bad as well. Ive been doing my due diligence for a couple days now & still not sure where to purchase....do you have any new updated suggestions on where i can buy the cable and program? Thank you for your time!
Hello, glad the videos are helpful 👍. Yes, it does sound like the motor gears are stripped out in the latching motor for sure (it’s a common problem on these). Here’s a link to a video on the issue and how to remove and replace the gears if you haven’t found it on the channel yet: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1psaE3Uj-BM.html . I think there’s a link in the comments for where to get new gears from (they are not expensive at all now). For the INPA, it does appear that the bcables version of the software they are sending with the cable is not loading very easily and folks are having problems getting it to load up and communicate with the cable. I was just helping another owner a couple of weeks ago to load up the bcables software, but we ended up just downloading the free download from bimmergeeks.com and it synced with the cable and car the first try. I actually have the bcables cable and then have their software on one laptop, but I also have the free download from bimmergeeks on the blue laptop in the videos. I do use the bimmergeeks software equipped laptop much more than the bcables software. I’ve never used a bimmergeeks cable so I’m not sure about it, but in looking at the pictures, it looks like the bcables one except that it’s not silver in color (which doesn’t matter as long as it’s compatible with the model of the car). The cable is the most important thing as it has the computer chips in it to allow the translation, but if the software won’t load up easily it gets really frustrating. Bimmergeeks.com might be another option to check out as they sell cables as well and I have had good success with their software even recently. Since all of the software(regardless of who’s providing it) is a copy of the original BMW software, but has been through other companies hands, I always recommend getting a separate cheap laptop to run it. That way if there are bugs in the software, it’s not going to mess up something on a computer with any information on it. When I first got mine, I bought the laptop, linked it up to the WiFi and downloaded the software, then turned off the WiFi and executed the file to extract and load the software. That way I could disable the virus scanner (which will sometimes prevent it from loading) with zero risk. I have never turned the WiFi back on since loading (as it’s not necessary since there are no new updates for the software)...that way if there was some bug in the free download it is trapped in just that laptop. Sorry for the long winded reply 😃, but hopefully it helps some. All the best ! Steve
@@StevesDIYs I truly appreciate you taking the time to write such a thorough response it shows you care & im sure you get a lot of questions. Cant thank you enough ill be looking into everything today i let you know how it goes thank you again have a great day!!
No problem...always glad to help as there’s just not much info out there for these soft tops 👍. I don’t think I’ll ever break any RU-vid records on subscribers or watch time, but I’ve always said that if the videos helped just one person, then it was worth the effort to make it. Let me know when you get it fixed and working good again...I always like to here that folks were successful in fixing them 👍. Steve
Hello Steve so i hate to keep asking questions but im really frustrated i got my wire & program Monday and ive been literally since Monday ALL day everyday since Monday been trying to get this program to work so I finally got INPA to work and recognize my battery and ignition on but when I choose “F4 (E60)” then i chose “BODY” and then “CONVERTIBLE” i keep getting error code D_CVM. SYS-0005: object file not found ive googled ive used Beemerfest which has helped up until now.... im really frustrated im ready to just go to BMW because I can’t drive my car at all, but I know the tricks they play & there’s nothing wrong with my car at all besides my convertible top my car is immaculate but i run into problems with my top all the time and your channel has helped every time so far....sorry to ramble on but my point is, is their a program that i can just download one click or something. I ordered the gears they came as well but i gotta figure out how to get my top down let alone closed all the way the latches are not clamping its closed but not locked all the way down and my top won’t move up or down the gear where the allen key goes just keeps spinning hence ordering the gears lol but my point i can’t even move my top manually due to that ....I know that was all a mouthful and I apologize but im lost and i know i can do it myself with help. very frustrated lol
@@5stuntaib , no worries...glad to help any way I can as I know how frustrating the tops can be when they act up and hardly anyone works on them anymore 👍. If you want to, message me on Facebook’s messenger at “Steve’s DIYs” as it will be easier to respond due to RU-vid’s comment lag. Are you located in the US? I’ve helped several folks by phone as it’s a bit easier to walk through what to do to check things. You’re right that BMW is gonna be expensive and most likely say tons of stuff is wrong...my sons friend just got a quote to replace his brake pads and do an oil change and it was like $2000, lol ! If the top is partially latched and won’t let go of the top of the window, you’ll have to pull the plastic trim down and move the flexible cables by hand to finish the unlatching process. Then you’ll be able to get the top retracted to fully access the motor to replace the gears. It’s not hard to do, but gotta be careful not to break the plastic trim piece. I’ll look up one if the videos and send you a link where I’m removing the plastic trim...that way you can see what’s holding it on to know how to putt it down partially to access the flexible cables. INPA struggles to talk with some of the car’s modules (some it won’t talk at all to for some reason). Some need to have the car running and others will communicate with just the key in and the dash lit up (putting the fob in and then pressing the start button without your foot on the brake pedal). Just let me know if you want to message or if in the US we can do a phone call 👍. Steve
Hello, the periodic issues with the convertible top (thus all of the videos on my channel about fixing it, lol) are annoying, but with some pointers and most definitely the ISTA software and communication cable, they are not hard to fix. This is one of the reasons that I started my channel as there was no information on how to fix the top issues so people were very afraid of these cars from a maintenance perspective. I also have a e63 M6 (coupe) and love driving both, but for different reasons. My '08 650i Convertible (actually it is my wifes) can't be beat on enjoying a nice sunny day or even cool days as it comes with the heated seats, heated steering wheel, and special settings on the climate control for when it is in convertible mode, but my M6 coupe has much more power and is better in the really cold months on comfort. My wife would not trade her 650i convertible for anything....even with the periodic top issues and the slight worry that it might mess up while on a road trip or something. Knowing how to close the top manually is a must just for peace of mind...I've only had to do this when working on it, but would be handy to know if it faulted away from home. Every time it has faulted so far, I was able to thump on the sensors or help it lift ( when it is cold outside ) and it has completed the cycle. Sorry for the long reply....hope this help though, Steve
mikbai01 , hello the software is called INPA and should be available on the web now for free. I downloaded mine from the Bimmergeeks web site. Since it was a free download and I don’t really trust free software downloads, the blue laptop I use is dedicated to this software and the others I have for my different cars (gm, Audi, etc...). The cable is also available from sellers on eBay as well as other sites that specialize in OBDII interfaces for cars. I think it is called a K + DCAN interface cable for BMWs. Hope the video was helpful and you can get yours fixed
omar halawa , hello...I would suspect that one of your segment sensors has gone bad or that the wires to them are broken, or you have a broken wire to the trunk position sensor, but without being able to see if they are functioning it is hard to know for sure. If the car cannot tell where each component of the top mechanism is ( like a broken wire or faulty sensor ), it will not move so it won’t damage the mechanism. It will tell you that you can only move it manually (emergency mode). The INPA software that is in this video and also the Part 1 video as well as the OBD2 cable can both be found on eBay or other sites for sale and it is not expensive now. The software and cable are a cheap investment as it allows you to look at many of the systems of the car and do resets for things like errors or service intervals. You might try to manually open your top and check for pinched or cut wires...in Part 1 of the convertible top video on my RU-vid Channel, I show where mine were pinched by the mechanism and were almost cut in half. Hope you find the issue...I know exactly how it aggravating it is to have the convertible top issues for sure !
Joe Outland , I’m a bit away from you in Tennessee so checking it out would be a several hour trip for sure. Does it make any type of humming when you try it with the button on the drivers door? If not, it might be a fuse or the relay ( you may have checked this already ). I don’t think there is a way to manually raise it up though. I’ve never had to work on the back window, but the way they design BMWs, I would suspect the whole rear window module unbolts and comes out as a unit. Seems the hydraulic pump system sits just behind it so it would probably have to be unbolted and moved slightly out of the way to get the module out. I would start by (if you have not already done so) checking the fuse to the rear window motor, then check the rear window relay to see if you can hear click when you press the window button in either direction. After that it would be hooking up the laptop to be sure the Hall effect sensors are sending a signal and looking for any error codes (the INPA software and cable needed is really cheap now off the web). Then it’s to the module to look for loose wire connections and then finally pulling the module to see what’s up....basically checking the easiest first and working to the hardest. Maybe it’s just a fuse or the relay...those are easy to do and the diagrams for the fuse and relay locations for your specific year should be out in the internet. Best of luck...hope you can get it fixed up and working again !
I live just north of you in Ky. Any chance I can pay you to take a look at my top? Hasn’t worked since I bought it earlier this year. It’s an ‘06 650ci. Thanks. Steve
Hello, I’m actually to the north side of Nashville so no too far from the KY border, just up I-65 for me. If you are near the TN/KY border it wouldn’t be too far at all. Let me see if I can message you to see if you can walk me through what it is doing...not sure if RU-vid still does messaging
Manuel Payes , hello...yep as long as the red light is flashing, the trunk will not open...this protects the trunk lid from being opened if the car thinks the convertible compartment lid is not fully down or if it thinks the convertible top is not fully opened or closed (thus the red light). You can use the physical key that’s in the fob to open the trunk if you have to (there’s a key slot in the bottom of the trunk latch when you tip it to open the trunk...just in case you never knew). If your top is currently fully closed and it is blinking red, the most common issue is the sensor that is in this video...to see if it’s just a little out of position you can thump around with your hand on the inside of the top on the drivers side ( just above the driver side back window) to see if the sensor will hit the position and stop blinking and also thump on the driver side wing on the outside to see if it will get it into position. If it is doing this with the top fully open (down inside the compartment), it could be a bad hall sensor or a wire has gotten pinched so one of the sensors won’t tell the car where the top is in the movement sequence...it just stops and blinks to protect itself from damage. Maybe this will help...if not you can reply back with the position of the top (open or closed...or maybe stuck half way) and also if you have tried to reverse the movement and if it will move or not. There are several videos on my channel for this convertible top that may help to with determining the issue. Just know that if you do decide to open or close the top manually (one of the videos), be sure to then try to open or close the top with the buttons next. If it still does not move because there is a fault on a sensor not reading, it may disable your side windows as well so you will need to look up the video on how to re-latch the locks before your side windows and back window will work again.
@@StevesDIYs thank so much for the info. I tryed to open it with the key but doesnt work. I Also found the sensor and move it but didn't do anything either. Any ideas on how can I open trunk with another method? Thanks in advance for your time
Manuel Payes , that’s odd that the actual metal key that’s inside of the key fob won’t open the trunk even if the red light is flashing. Maybe check it one more time by doing this (I’ll put all of the steps just in case someone else is reading the comment and did not realize there was a metal key inside the key fob)...remove the metal key by pinching the top of the key fob and pulling out, tip the trunk emblem like you were normally opening the trunk with it, while keeping it tipped, insert the key into the key slot that is in the trunk emblem that is exposed underneath when it’s tipped, turn the key and you should feel the key move the latch, then raise up on the trunk while the emblem is tipped and the key is turned. If this doesn’t work, the only other option I can think of to open the trunk is to remove the lower center pad that is between the two back seats and pull out the ski bag. The rectangular door between the seats and the trunk will then need to be forced open by pushing it toward the trunk. Then a long wire (or coat hanger) could be used to pull the emergency handle that is inside the trunk (it will glow green if a flashlight is shone in the trunk for a minute). Note that I have never tried going through the ski compartment or pulled the emergency latch so I’m not sure if this will cause further issues so I’m really not sure about doing it that way.
@@StevesDIYs Hello thanks for your videos. the top motor gear was broken changed now trunk opens and everything else working properly thank you so much for your help!
Manuel Payes , thanks for the feedback 👍. I’m glad to hear that the videos are able to help sort out some of the issues with these convertible tops. My thought in making them was that if the videos helped just one person it was worth the effort to make it and post it up.
delo85 , hello...you should be able to down load it from the web for free now ( I purchased mine with the cable from eBay years ago when you had to buy it). If you search for INPA and cable you should be able to find sellers that sell the cable with a copy as well
Patrick Butler...hello, I live in Middle Tennessee, just north of Nashville. If you have a RU-vid channel and could post up a video of what yours is doing I could have a look. If you do, just comment back with a link to your channel and I’ll have a look.
@@StevesDIYs I am pretty close to the area. Would you be willing to take a look at my car if I am able to get it to you? I live just North of you. I bought this car at an auction and I love it but I have not been able to get the top to work. I got my back and side windows stuck down and a couple of local body shops have been no help. Thanks, Steve
Jeff B , hello...yes, I believe this was one of the items covered under the lawsuit if money was paid to get the top fixed. When I took mine off, someone prior to me had opened up the holes so mine may have had the adjustment done at one time, but since I did not pay for it I did not qualify for the lawsuit. I bought mine when it was a couple of years old for a really good price...probably due to issues like this that scared the previous owner.
My understanding is that bmw would update system on the convertible if they didn’t fix it they would replace the top free of charge. Also if you paid money to get it fixed you would be reimbursed for it.
It could be, but I was thinking they would only do the software update to reduce the sensitivity of the logic and reimburse for any past costs with corrections. I actually never heard more on if people were getting reimbursed or not so not real sure. For the software update, I don’t trust BMW enough with my car to let them flash the modules for the upgrade, lol. All it would take is one module to fail to update that is not related to the Conv Top Module for them to come back and say there are other issues with the car and they are only covering the convertible top software update...then I’m stuck paying them. It’s a risk I’m not willing to take as I have had zero success with BMW dealers...probably because I don’t buy new BMW’s so I don’t have any pull with them
Hey again. The software copy I have on the blue laptop is from bimmergeeks.com and is a free download. It has half way translated into English (as you could see on the video), but works fine to communicate to the car once you get used to the different screens and menus. It needs the silver colored OBDii cable (not the blue one) to communicate with the car. I believe they sell the cable on their web site as well, but I got mine from another site before I found theirs with the download. Hope this helps 👍. Steve
j fits , hey man...if your having convertible top issues, there are several videos on the channel that go through different issues the mechanism can have. If you don’t have the INPA software and the communications cable it is very helpful in diagnosing the issues (you’ll see it used in some of my videos). What’s the top doing wrong?
I put the roof back n it stopped and said top malfunction so I put it down (without pulling the levers in trunk)my trunk is locked n my back window doesn’t go up it’s a 2012 bmw 650i
j fits , if the top has a malfunction and does not complete the cycle basically thinks that it is stopped somewhere in mid cycle so it will not allow the trunk to open or the back window to move (both of these could get damaged by the movement. It sounds like a sensor not reading or maybe one of the pump relays did not energize. If you have it back in the trunk, have you tried pressing the top open button again to see if it will complete the cycle? Or try to close the top to see if it will try again. To access the trunk with the top faulted, you have to use your metal key that is inside of the key fob in the key slot that is below the trunk emblem that tips to normally open it. Sensors are difficult to track down without the INPA software...I would be lost without it on fixing mines issues in the past.